by Taylor Rose
The stadium erupted in cheers.
Glancing up at him, I smiled so wide that my cheeks hurt. I probably looked like a hot mess, but none of that mattered because he wanted me no matter what I looked like. No matter what bad things had happened to me. No matter fucking what, he was mine and I was his.
Now and forever.
Picking me up off of the ground, he slid the most perfect ring on my finger.
It was a white gold band, with a princess cut diamond in the center. Not too flashy, and just my style. Embedded in the band were all three of our birthstones with extra room for when we started a family of our own. The gems sparkled in the light. The inscription ‘You are mine, just as I am yours, baby’ was etched into the metal on the inside of the band.
I couldn’t have picked out a more perfect ring for myself.
Not that it was the ring I needed.
It was him.
“I’ll see you after the game, baby. I love you,” he rasped against my lips before kissing me in a way that made my legs quiver.
“I love you too, Charming,” I whispered as he jumped back on the rink, ready to start the game.
He fist pumped the air in triumph.
The whole team patted his back, while Cooper, Eight, Saber, and Sticks all waved to me. I waved back before taking my seat once more.
I slumped in my seat, my gaze locked on my ring.
Aqua jumped on me.
“I’m so happy for you, sissy!” she squealed in delight while bouncing on my legs.
“Thanks, munchkin. You’re alright with this?” I asked her, knowing the answer already but needing to hear the words.
“Of course I’m alright with it! Who do you think helped him pick out your ring?” she asked as she wiggled her eye brows at me.
The little minx.
“You did, didn’t you?” I asked her playfully.
She twisted her head until her eyes locked on mine.
She nodded her head and pulled something out of her pocket. The item glittered and she placed it in my hand.
I gasped again.
You would think that by now I would stop being surprised by how thoughtful my future husband was.
My future husband.
But I wasn’t, he continued to amaze me.
“He got this for me when he bought that for you. He said it was a promise ring. That this was his promise to me, to love and cherish me for the rest of my life,” she dreamily whispered before snatching it out of my hand and placing it on her left ring finger.
It was a small, white gold ring shaped like an infinity sign and had two small diamond hearts in the middle of the infinity rings. It hugged her little finger perfectly and glittered in the stadium lights.
My ovaries just fucking exploded.
She looked at her ring before hugging it to her chest.
The game went on around us, but both Aqua and I were too preoccupied with thoughts of the man who saved us, in more than one way.
I had always thought that Happily Ever After’s were just a myth, that it was something that was too good to be true.
Until my very own Prince Charming swooped me off of my feet.
And I finally got a Happily Ever After of my own.
*****
Holy shit. She said yes.
Before my afternoon game started today, I asked the other half of my soul to marry me.
And she actually said yes.
I was still trying to wrap my mind around it.
It was un-fucking-believable, in the best way possible. We stood side by side in our backyard, her arm around my torso and my arm around her shoulder, holding her close to me. We were having a late BBQ to celebrate our new engagement, our closest friends surrounding us as we all ate and mingled.
Saber and April sat on the side of the pool, their legs hanging over the edge dipping their toes in the water. April was talking about something that excited her, her face was lit up like a Christmas tree as her body bounced with each word she said and her legs were swirling the water around all at the same time. Saber looked at her intently, his gaze never leaving her petite little body, but he kept quiet. His right hand brushed her cheek before he moved a short stray blonde lock of her hair away from her face and behind her ear.
Eight, Sticks, and our new goalie Axton Rush, were all standing by the grill arguing about a call that the refs had made against us earlier today. Rush agreed with the call, saying he could see it clearly from the goalie box, even though it was against Sticks who was denying it like the fucking plague. Hand gestures and curse words were flying from their lips like a couple of sailors and they each had a beer in their hands. I had no room to talk.
Rush was a younger up-and-coming goalie who was brought up from our minor team, the Juneau Snow Cats. The Snow Cats are our team in the AHL also known as the American Hockey League, in which the players hope to be brought up to the major league. Although sometimes players there don’t get their shot.
Squirt and Cooper were nowhere to be seen, then again, it was already eight pm on a school night and Squirt had had a long day. Cooper was probably putting her to bed, like he did every night.
Yes, you read that right.
Every fucking night.
Ever since the kidnapping, the only person she truly relaxed around was Cooper.
She couldn’t go to sleep unless Cooper was in the room. Nothing worked other than his physical presence for some frustrating reason. We tried a phone call or video chat, but that shit didn’t work. So for the last three fucking months, Cooper had come over to put Squirt to fucking sleep.
Squirt’s therapist said that she must have latched onto Cooper after the incident, that she felt comfortable with him, and that sooner or later she wouldn’t need him anymore. But fuck, it was such a hassle. More so, every time he put her to bed, I could see the hurt in Figgy’s eyes. I knew that she wanted to be the one that Squirt leaned on. That they had gone through it together, and yet somehow it tore them apart.
Leaning down, I brushed my lips against Figgy’s temple.
“I love you, Figueroa almost Kingston,” I whispered, letting my lips linger on her skin.
Her whole body shivered before she tilted her head up to look at me. Her crystal clear blue eyes shone with so much love and devotion, it punched me in the gut almost leaving me breathless.
She leaned up on her tip toes and placed a light kiss on my lips.
“I love you too, Charming,” she purred, the warmth from her breath so close to my face, I could feel it.
Sight, Kai, and Blaine were all standing off to the side whispering to each other, almost in the shadows of the side of the house. It was as if they needed to stay hidden at all times. Seriously, those three were fucking crazy. But after getting to know them, I realized how much I liked their kind of crazy. It was different, just very secretive. Like everything and everyone was out to destroy them or something.
Inside their fortress of solitude, they each let their personalities out, but they kept to themselves while they were in public. Two opposite sides of a coin, but both belonging to one person. Bizarre and a little bit frightening.
They still showed up though, which was huge. Even if they were keeping to their damn selves.
The sliding glass door slammed shut causing a loud thud to sound throughout the backyard. Everyone’s gazes snapped up to see where the commotion had come from. Before I even had time ask, Cooper was already standing in front of me and Figgy holding a piece of paper in his hands.
Without saying a word, he shoved the paper into Figgy’s hands. He stared at her intently, waiting for her reaction.
Figgy gasped. One of her hands flew to cover her mouth while the other clung to the paper for dear life and hugged it to her chest. Her gaze snapped up to his, and her lips trembled.
“Is this for real?” she whispered to him, her eyes begging for the answer to be yes.
He nodded his head slowly.
“Explain,” she demanded lightly.
He gulped.
“Every night before bed, Aqua begs me to read her a story from her favorite story book. She could read them herself, but she says that my voice calms her,” he explained as a pinkish tint spread to his cheeks and ears. “For the last couple of days, I noticed the paper on the front cover was starting to peel off, so I was just trying to glue it back together when I noticed a piece of this sticking out underneath. I just found it, and knew how important it was for the both of you, Figs.”
Her breathing became rapid as tears threatened to fall from her eyes.
What the hell was on that piece of paper?
“My parents always told her that everything she needed was in that book,” she murmured as her lips wobbled. “That no matter what happened, that this book held all of the answers. That girls who believed in fairytales would find a way to live life to its fullest potential. To soar, while others only flew.”
She hiccupped a sob.
“Why didn’t I ever put two and two together?”
I pulled her into my arms, letting her sunshine scent surround me. I kissed her hair lightly, her arms wrapped around my middle and she rested her head on my chest.
Reaching down, I pulled the paper into my hands and glanced at it.
‘The Last Will and Testament of Jasper and Jasmine Ryan’ was scribbled on the top of the paper I was holding in my hands. The paper that had been hidden in Squirt’s fairytale book this whole time. The paper that proved that Figgy and Aqua’s parents hadn’t left them with nothing. In fact, they left them everything.
Lifting my head, I locked eyes with Cooper and mouthed thank you.
He nodded his head before turning on his heels and heading over to grab a beer from the cooler.
Having this a few years ago would have made a huge difference for my girls, and while I wish they would have had it this whole time, I’m actually thankful that it wasn’t found until just now.
I couldn’t help but be selfish.
Because if they had had this, their lives would have been completely different. They may never have even met me and I needed them. I needed them more than I had ever needed anything in my life.
Everything happens for a reason.
That was now something I believed in with every fiber of my being.
The doorbell sounded, pulling my selfish thoughts away from me.
Rush nodded at me and then walked through the sliding glass door into the house. He was grabbing whoever was at the door while I comforted my woman.
Looking down at the small person in my arms, I knew that everything was meant to be. She made me better. She made me more.
“Are you alright, baby?” I asked her.
She tilted her head so that our eyes met, her tears shining in her bright blues.
“Better than alright, Charming,” she whispered as she wiped away the moisture that had pooled on her cheeks.
The sliding glass door sounded as it opened once more and a hush came over all of my friends in the backyard.
Curious, I glanced up.
Standing just inside of my house was a woman I had never seen before. Long brown wavy hair fell to her waist and curled up at the ends. She was taller for a girl, 5’8’ maybe 5’9’ and had golden eyes that glowed slightly. Small curves and a face that would stop most men in their tracks. She was beautiful, but I didn’t find her attractive.
She stood there, staring at me hypnotically.
Rush used hand signals to call me over.
How did this fan girl find the address to my house?
Ugh, I didn’t want to deal with anybody other than my family and friends right now.
Figgy looked at me and then back at the woman.
Questions clouding her eyes.
Fuck, I had fucking questions, too.
Like what the fuck was she doing at my house? And why did Rush let her in?
Grabbing Figgy’s hand in mine, I pulled her across the yard with me.
No way was I doing this by myself.
The closer I got, the faster and faster the random woman’s chest rose and fell, as if she was hyperventilating.
Once I was standing in front of her, I could see she was around my age.
Grabbing the black hat I was wearing off of my head and the silver sharpie I still had in my pocket from earlier, I signed the hat and handed it to the women.
“Umm… Uh… No thanks,” she murmured before shoving my hat right back at me.
Now I was even more confused.
“Are you Kieran Kingston?” she asked, her voice husky, like she’d been smoking a pack of cigarettes a day her whole life.
I scratched my head.
“Umm, yeah. You know that though, considering you’re at my house and all,” I quipped.
Figgy’s hand squeezed mine.
The random women’s left hand clutched the necklace she was wearing around her neck so hard that her knuckles had turned white. She blushed and used her right hand to push some of her wavy brown hair behind her ear. Looking at the ground, she muttered “My name is Noelle Kingston, and I think you’re my brother.”
Figgy gasped next to me.
She unhooked the necklace she was wearing and placed it in my hand before backing up like a scared kitten.
Glancing down, I noticed an inscription in the cool metal.
‘Noelle and Kieran’ was etched into the front.
My heart started thudding faster and faster in my chest.
Because holy shit, could this woman actually be my long lost sister? A sister I never knew about?
Crazier stuff had happened.
My head snapped up and Noelle was biting her lip in between her teeth. She nodded her head, giving me permission to look closer.
Flipping the necklace over in my hand, my heart stopped in my chest.
‘August 6, 1994’ was etched into the back.
Because she wasn’t just my sister. She was my fucking twin.
NEXT in the FROSTED Series is Eight and Noelle’s story, coming soon!
Hi guys! Thank you so much for reading Frosted! I really hope you enjoyed Kieran and Figgy’s story, as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Please consider leaving a review! I would love to know what you thought! Even if you only leave a few words, every review counts!
#frosted
xoxo,
Taylor
FACEBOOK
AMAZON
INSTAGRAM
GOODREADS
Join my READER GROUP for first looks at my new projects. Cover reveals, giveaways, teasers and more!
Sign up for my NEWSLETTER and get special offers, exclusive deals and release info.
Issues by Julia Michaels
Scars To Your Beautiful by Alessia Cara
Ain’t My Fault by Zara Larsson
Bad Things by Machine Gun Kelly & Camila Cabello
Buyou by Keri Hilson (Featuring J Cole)
Too Little, Too Late by JoJo
Rockabye by Clean Bandit (Featuring Sean Paul & Anne-Marie)
All Of You by Nick Fradiani
Words by Daya
It Ain’t Me by Kygo & Selena Gomez
Sure Thing by Miguel
So Good by Zara Larsson (Featuring Ty Dolla $ign)
*Available on Spotify*
Follow – authortaylorrose on Spotify to listen to the whole FROSTED playlist there!
To my amazing boyfriend Derrek, thank you for continuing to support my dream. I love you with all of my heart.
To my Mom, thank you for loving my first book so much. For always pushing me to do my best and telling me that I could do anything I set my mind too. I’m only where I am today, because of you. I love you.
To Aly, THANK YOU sweets for not only editing this giant thing but also for everything else you do for me. Your opinion and questions lead me
to create better stories. You challenge me and I’m so thankful that I know you. To have you in my life. You’re always lifting me up, even when I’m feeling down. Without you, I’m not sure this book would even exist. I LOVE YOU more than words can even express. I’m so happy I get to take this journey with you by my side.
To Rebecca at The Final Wrap, thank you so much for the amazing cover! You created something I only ever thought would be in my mind. You’re such a talented designer and I’m lucky that I was able to work with you to create the perfect image for this story. Not only am I lucky because you create such masterpieces, BUT I also feel like I’m now blessed to be able to call you my friend as well. THANK YOU BUNCHES SWEET CHEEKS!
To Virginia, thank you for fucking everything. You pushed me to write this book, when I was worried it wasn’t going to be good enough. Fuck, you claimed Kieran for yourself when he was only in the beta stages, before I even really knew how his story turned out. Thank you for letting me bounce my ideas off of you and for all of your help. You’re invaluable and meeting you was one of the things I’m most thankful for. I love you to the moon and back babe.
To Silla, thank you for all of your help! I know it probably didn’t seem like much to you, but it meant the world to me! You’re the sweetest!
To all of the bloggers who helped with this release, I am eternally grateful! Every little bit helps, and all of you helped a ton! I appreciate all of you tremendously! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
To everyone who helped with this release and loves this book, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart! You’ll never know how much it means to me.
To you, my readers! Thank you so much for loving my books. I write every single word, for you!
